GEOSPATIAL MONITORING OF VEGETATION VIGOUR IN KUYAMBANA GAME RESERVE, ZAMFARA STATE, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

Monitoring vegetation vigour is necessary to keep track of the status of an ecosystem and its ability to provide adequate and qualitative ecosystem goods and services. Vegetation vigour, to a considerable extent, determines the health, functions, and biological diversity in any ecosystem. However, the standard ground-based methods are labour and time expensive, making it impossible to assess vegetation vigour across large areas consistently. Therefore, this paper attempts to monitor the vegetation vigour in Kuyambana Game Reserve, Zamfara State, Nigeria, a vast forest region set aside by the government to preserve plants and animals, particularly endangered species. However, in addition to natural disturbances, armed banditry and cattle rustling in recent years constitute another type of disturbance that could harm the environment. From 2000 to 2020, the game reserve vegetation vigour was tracked using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) produced by the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The results showed a persistent drop in vegetation vigour (over 48%) that might be attributable to anthropogenic and natural sources. The study concluded that it is crucial to provide proper security and afforestation and enforce environmental regulations, among other steps, to protect the wildlife
reserve and its ecosystem.